Grandson of former Masters champion comes up short in bid for Augusta invite

There will be no Masters debut for Pierceson Coody. 

The 26-year-old Texan, grandson of the 1971 green jacket winner Charles, was looking to earn an invite to Augusta National via the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). 

The top 50 players in the OWGR through the Texas Children's Houston Open qualified for the first men's major of the year. 

Coody was on the direct bubble but was forced to withdraw last week with a back injury. 

His only chance to sneak into the 2026 Masters field was an unlikely victory at the Valero Texas Open, but it seems as though Coody hasn't sufficiently recovered in time.

On Monday, the PGA Tour confirmed Coody withdrew from the field and was replaced by Taylor Moore. 

Coody wasn't the only player to withdraw from this week's stop. 

Last week's winner and runner-up, Gary Woodland and Nicolai Hojgaard have also withdrawn after qualifying for the 2026 Masters. 

Woodland, who underwent brain surgery in September 2023 and revealed he was battling post-traumatic stress disorder just two weeks ago, had not won since the 2019 U.S. Open. 

Which players snuck inside the top 50?

Elsewhere, America's Daniel Berger was on the outside looking in until he produced a runner-up finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational to vault up the rankings. 

The smooth-swinging Jake Knapp is without a win this year but has reeled off five top 10 finishes on the PGA Tour this season to reach 42nd in the OWGR. His only missed cut was at the Players and he is yet to finish outside the top 15. 

Matt McCarty will also make his second Masters appearance. The American missed the cut last week but was able to remain inside the top 50. 

Which big names aren't playing in the 2026 Masters?

Plenty of notables won't be at Augusta National next week. 

Rickie Fowler is currently in danger of missing his fifth Masters in the past six years. The popular American needs a win at the Valero Texas Open. 

World number 94 Billy Horschel has not entered the Valero Texas Open and will now miss the Masters. 

Sahith Theegala also hasn't done enough. 

Will Zalatoris finished runner-up in his Masters debut in 2022 but has endured rotten luck with injuries ever since. A herniated disc saw him miss seven months of last season. Although he battled back to full fitness this year, an ankle injury ruled him out of the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches. 

Tony Finau, who was once ninth in the OWGR, has fallen to 107th and needs a win in Texas. 

LIV Golf recruits David Puig and Joaquin Niemann are also not in the 2026 Masters field.